By Omololu Ogunmade
President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday night hailed the defection of Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it “as a bold move driven purely by principle rather than opportunistic motives.”
A statement by presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said Buhari, while reacting to the defection, stated he was proud of Umahi for personally taking the decision without any external influence.
“I am proud of Governor David Umahi for taking this bold decision in accordance with his conscience and principles rather than any external influence or coercion,” he said.
Buhari was further quoted as saying, “Good governance is very important to us in the APC, and I’m glad that the governor has cited this as a major factor in his decision to join us. I urge our citizens to pay less emphasis on identity politics if we want our democracy to make a positive impact on our country.”
The president added that “with men like Umahi, I foresee a brighter future for our democracy because the voters will be more motivated by performance records of parties and their candidates.
“Let me once again commend the boldness of Governor Umahi for taking this courageous decision in a country where principles are in short supply among many.
“I know people might call him names, but that is the price men of principles have to pay for acting according to their conscience and convictions.”
